"I called the guy the next morning and he said, 'Oh, we might be able to help you here, ' and I was shocked", Ben says.

She said the boy has shown previous interest in the shredder.

Thankfully a government office that specializes in dealing with mutilated cash gave them their money back. She added, KRON4 reports, "As devastated and as sick as we were, this was one of those moments where you just have to laugh".

The couple contacted the US Treasury Department and may be able to get some or all of the money back, but it could take up to two years.

Understandably Leo has been banned from the shredder.

Following the incident, Ben chose to share the comical incident on social media and has been liked more than 1,760 times and retweeted by more than 530 people. Well we couldn't find the envelope until my wife checked the shredder. Yup.

Ben shared a snap of a sheepish-looking Leo - and the shredded cash - on Twitter afterwards.

The process takes between six months and three years, the website says.

Luckily for the Belnaps, all's well that ends well! Let us know in the comments!